Let $\mathbf{M}$ be a matrix such that
\[\mathbf{M} \begin{pmatrix} 2 \\ -1 \end{pmatrix} = \begin{pmatrix} 3 \\ 0 \end{pmatrix} \quad \text{and} \quad \mathbf{M} \begin{pmatrix} -3 \\ 5 \end{pmatrix} = \begin{pmatrix} -1 \\ -1 \end{pmatrix}.\]Compute $\mathbf{M} \begin{pmatrix} 5 \\ 1 \end{pmatrix}.$
Solution: We can try solving for the matrix $\mathbf{M}.$  Alternatively, we can try to express $\begin{pmatrix} 5 \\ 1 \end{pmatrix}$ as a linear combination of $\begin{pmatrix} 2 \\ -1 \end{pmatrix}$ and $\begin{pmatrix} -3 \\ 5 \end{pmatrix}.$  Let
\[\begin{pmatrix} 5 \\ 1 \end{pmatrix} = a \begin{pmatrix} 2 \\ -1 \end{pmatrix} + b \begin{pmatrix} -3 \\ 5 \end{pmatrix} = \begin{pmatrix} 2a - 3b \\ -a + 5b \end{pmatrix}.\]Thus, $5 = 2a - 3b$ and $1 = -a + 5b.$  Solving, we find $a = 4$ and $b = 1,$ so
\[\begin{pmatrix} 5 \\ 1 \end{pmatrix} = 4 \begin{pmatrix} 2 \\ -1 \end{pmatrix} + \begin{pmatrix} -3 \\ 5 \end{pmatrix}.\]Therefore,
\[\mathbf{M} \begin{pmatrix} 5 \\ 1 \end{pmatrix} = 4 \mathbf{M} \begin{pmatrix} 2 \\ -1 \end{pmatrix} + \mathbf{M} \begin{pmatrix} -3 \\ 5 \end{pmatrix} = 4 \begin{pmatrix} 3 \\ 0 \end{pmatrix} + \begin{pmatrix} -1 \\ -1 \end{pmatrix} = \boxed{\begin{pmatrix} 11 \\ -1 \end{pmatrix}}.\]